Stepping off of Air Force One at King Khalid International Airport, Mr Obama was greeted on a red carpet not by the monarch but instead by the governor of Riyadh. And unusually, his arrival was not broadcast on state television.

The symbolism will not be missed by the US administration. The icy welcome stands in stark contrast to the kisses the then-President George W. Bush received on his arrival from the kingdom’s ruler nearly a decade ago when relations were at their strongest.

The President shakes hands with Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdelaziz al-Saud, Governor of Riyadh, as he arrives at King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capitalCredit:
AFP

Attempting to smooth ruffled feathers, Mr Obama headed straight to talks with King Salman, 80, who has intimated he has little confidence America is committed to its security and concerned it is being increasingly influenced by a newly emboldened Shia Iran.

The king has presided over a more assertive foreign policy since acceding to the throne last year - leading a military campaign against Shia rebels in Yemen and backing Sunni opposition in Syria calling for the removal of President Bashar al-Assad.

Saudi Arabia has accused Mr Obama of reluctance in getting involved in the wars in Syria and Yemen,

Both sides’ concerns will be addressed on Thursday when the US president meets with all six Gulf leaders for a summit on regional stability, counterterrorism including the fight against the Islamic State, and Iran.

President Obama waves to Saudi officials on arrival to Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCredit:
AP

Mr Obama is expected to pledge to help Saudi Arabia strengthen its navy and cyber security to combat the respective threats.

Only adding to Mr Obama’s headache on his tour however is the US Senate’s proposed legislation that could pave the way for victims of the 9/11 attacks to sue the Saudi government if it is found to have been involved.

Fifteen of the 19 hijackers were Saudi citizens but no official state complicity in the al-Qaeda attacks has been proven.

President Obama and King Salman walk together to a meeting at Erga Palace in RiyadhCredit:
AP

Saudi Arabia, the largest buyer of American-made weapons, in turn threatened to sell off its $750bn in US investments if the bill is signed, which would prove devastating for the country.

Analysts likened current relations to a blip in a marriage. "Despite all these differences, Saudi Arabia and America are not getting divorced," said Bruce Riedel, director of the Intelligence Project at the Brookings Institution and a former CIA official. "We need each other."

The visit also comes against the backdrop of further bad news for Saudi Arabia. The world's biggest oil exporter was on Wednesday forced to take its first sovereign loan in at least 15 years.

It accepted a $10 billion loan from foreign banks to help close the gap in its state finances from collapsed oil revenues.

Iran’s oil export meanwhile has been booming since the relaxation of sanctions. Reuters reported yesterday that the Islamic Republic was struggling to find enough ships to transport the growing number of barrels out.